JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little booted a 70-yard field goal as time expired in the first half of Saturday night’s preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Because it wasn’t a regular-season game it won’t count for record purposes.
Little’s field goal cleared the crossbar comfortably, capping the Jaguars’ final drive of the second quarter and cutting the Steelers’ lead at halftime.
The feat, while unofficial, would have surpassed the league’s longest field goal on record, a 66-yarder set by Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker in 2021, if made during a regular-season game.
“It was a fun kick,” Little said following the game. “You dream about those moments as a kid, just seeing how far you can push it.”
Little, a Moore, Okla., native now entering his second NFL season, was selected by the Jaguars in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
He finished his rookie year 27-of-29 on field goals, including a 59-yard long, and was perfect on extra points. He earned Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team honors and scored 108 points for Jacksonville.
At Arkansas, Little was the program’s most accurate kicker, connecting on 82.8% of his field goal attempts and making all 129 extra-point tries over three seasons. He was named First-Team All-SEC as a junior and earned Freshman All-American honors in 2021.
The 70-yard kick sparked immediate reaction across social media. ESPN’s Adam Schefter posted a video of the play, writing, “A 70-yard field goal from Cam Little. 70!”
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence called the moment “wild” and praised Little’s leg strength: “You don’t see that every day. We all kind of stared at each other like, ‘Did that just happen?’”
The kick came just one day after Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates, another former Arkansas Razorback, made a 57-yard field goal in preseason action against the Atlanta Falcons.
“We know what Cam can do from distance, but that was something special,” Jacksonville coach Doug Pederson said. “You don’t want to overreact to one kick, but it’s a good feeling knowing you’ve got that in your back pocket.”
NFL preseason statistics do not count toward official records, but the exhibition kick reignited discussion about the evolution of the kicking game.
“The science has changed,” former NFL kicker Nick Novak told The Associated Press. “You’re seeing kicks now that would’ve been unimaginable 20 years ago. Seventy yards is seventy yards. That’s just pure talent.”
Little’s feat adds to a growing list of young kickers making an impact in the league.
“The new generation doesn’t flinch,” said ESPN analyst Mina Kimes. “They’re coming in ready, and they’re pushing the limits every week.”
Despite the preseason setting, Jaguars fans and players celebrated the achievement.
“Maybe 72, maybe 73,” Little joked about his range. “I’ll have to test it in practice.” He added, “It’s still preseason. My job is just to be ready when my number is called.”
As the Jaguars continue their preseason schedule, Little’s performance has raised expectations for the team’s special teams unit.
“It’s one thing to do it in August,” Pederson said. “The real test comes when it’s December, the wind’s swirling, and three points mean the playoffs.”
